2 Terrorists Involved In Mirwaiz Farooq’s Killing Absconding Since 1990 Arrested

Srinagar: Two terrorists involved in Mirwaiz Farooq’s killing absconding since 1990 have been arrested and handed over to the CBI to face trial, officials said on Tuesday.

Police said five terrorists were involved in the killing of Mirwaiz.

Abdullah Bangroo and Rehman Shigan had got killed in encounters and couldn’t face trial while Ayub Dar underwent trial and was convicted for life, currently serving sentence in Srinagar central jail.

Javaid Bhat and Zahoor Bhat who were absconding and hence escaped trial have now been apprehended.

“In a significant operation, SIA of J&K Police have arrested two Hizbul-Mujahideen terrorists,” police said.

“They have been identified as Javaid Ahmad Bhat code Ajmal Khan S/o Late Habibullah Bhat R/o Solina Bala, A/P Azad Basti Natipora Srinagar and Zahoor Ahmad Bhat code Bilal S/o Late Mohamad Ramzan Bhat R/o Danderkhaw Batamalo Srinagar who were absconding after murdering Mirwaiz on 21 May 1990,” police said.

“The two had gone underground and during all these years were variously hiding in Nepal and Pakistan among other places before surreptitiously returning back to Kashmir a few years ago. Maintaining a low profile, changing addresses and shifting residences, they avoided the gaze of law enforcement agencies.”

Police said accused in CBI case, pertaining to killing of Mirwaiz Farooq, they are now liable to immediately face trial in a designated TADA court in Delhi which has already completed the trial in respect of one of the five accused namely Ayub Dar code Ishfaq son of Late Abdul Ahad Dar of Rawalpora of Srinagar who has been convicted and serving a life sentence.

Two other absconding accused terrorists found guilty in the killing of Mirwaiz, Abdullah Bangroo and Abdul Rehman Shigan, got killed in encounters with security forces in the 1990s.

On 21 May 1990, Mirwaiz Farooq, the head priest of Kashmir was killed by terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen. The case was transferred the investigation to CBI on 11 June 1990.

“After a long and arduous legal process of investigation and prosecution, the designated TADA court, in 2009, convicted the only arrested accused Ayub Dar for life. The remaining four remained on the run. While two (Abdullah Bangroo and Rehman Shigan) died in encounters, Javaid Bhat and Ayub Bhat managed to evade,” police said.

“Ayub Dar, the convicted terrorist and one of the killers, appealed against his conviction, which however, was upheld by the Division Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No.535 of 2009 on 21 July 2010.”